Device for drying grain



Oct. 6, 1970. E. ca. SUKUP 3,531,374

DEVICE FOR DRYING GRAIN Filed July 31, 1968 Z9 Quiz 3,531,874 DEVICE FORDRYING GRAIN Eugene G. Sukup, Sheflield, Iowa 50475 Filed July 31, 1968,Ser. No. 749,140 Int. Cl. E04h 7/00; F26b 19/00 U.S. Cl. 34225 1 ClaimABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a device forventilating grain adjacent the wall of a drying bin, the devicecomprising a plurality of tubes attached to the inside wall of a dryingbin, and fluidly connected to an air supply below the floor of the bin,the tubes having a plurality of perforations for directing forced airinto the grain, the perforations being positioned such that the air isdirected in a plane parallel to the wall of the bin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to drying grain andparticularly to drying grain adjacent the wall of a drying bin.

The stockpiling and storage of grain has become a common practice inmodern farming. Generally the grain when harvested is extremely moistbecause of the climatic conditions at harvest time necessitating dryingthe grain to prevent its spoilage. Commonly a drying bin enclosed bywalls and a roof is used for this purpose, the drying bin having aperforated floor supporting the grain through which dry air is forcedupward into and through the grain. The rising air removes the moisturefrom the grain and continues upward to the roof of the bin where itescapes through a hole therein provided and dissipates into theatmosphere. Quite often, various types of grain stirring devices areused in conjunction with the drying bins to provide a constant flow ofthe air throughout the grain.

However, it has been the experience of farmers employing thehereinbefore described method of drying grain, and particularly thosefarmers in colder climates of the United States, that spoilagefrequently occurs to that grain positioned near the side of the bin dueto condensation and frost forming on the bin wall when the outsidetemperature drops. The spoiled grain is found adjacent the side of thebin and extends inwardly up to twelve inches.

The reasons proposed for the higher moisture content of the grain storedalong the side of the drying bin include less circulation in the areadue to higher compaction, moisture being drawn to this area because ofthe variance in temperature of the area because of its proximity to theoutside elements, condensation collecting on the roof and wall anddraining down the side of the bin, and the inability of stirring devicesto stir the grain near the bin wall causing the forced air rising fromthe perforated floor to by-pass the grain near the bin wall and take thepath of least resistance through the stirred grain. The device of thisinvention is intended to prevent this grain spoilage by overcoming theabove problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device for dryinggrain adjacent the wall of a grain drying bin, the device comprising aplurality of conduit members attached to the inner side of the bin wall,the members being fluidly connected at their bottom ends to a supply offorced air below the floor of the bin, each member having a series ofperforations formed therein above, the floor for directing the forcedair in a plane parallel to the wall of the bin.

United States Patent O 3,531,874- Patented Oct. 6, 1970 It is an objectof this invention to provide a new and novel grain drying device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel grain dryingdevice for drying the grain disposed adjacent the wall of a drying bin.

It is another object of this invention to provide a grain drying devicewhich is easily installed in existing grain drying bins.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a device whichwill derive an air supply from the conventional blower employed with adrying bin and subsequently distribute the air to an area adjacent thewall of a drying bin.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a grain drying devicecapable of attaining the above mentioned objects, which is economical,simple, but rugged in construction, and effective in use.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention willbecome readily apparent upon reference to the following description,when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of agrain drying bin, the bin cut away for illustrative purposes to show thedevice of this invention mounted to the walls of the bin and part of thefloor;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view showing the device of thisinvention penetrating the floor of the bin; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view as taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,showing the attachment of the device to the wall of the bin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings andparticularly FIG. 1, the device of this invention is indicated generallyby the numeral 10 and is shown in assembled relation with a grain dryingbin 11 having a blower-heater unit 12 attached thereto.

The bin 11 includes a floor 13 or foundation supporting an upstandingwall 14 and a roof 16 attached to the walls 14 and enclosing the bin 11.A cap 17 covering an air vent (not shown) formed in the roof 16 isillustrated.

Mounted on the foundation 13 are a plurality of vertical uprights 18supporting a plurality of horizontal beams 19. A sub-floor 21 having aseries of perforations 22 (FIG. 2) rests upon the beams 19. Surroundingthe outer periphery of the floor 21 is a flashing 23 which preventsgrain (not shown) from falling between the floor 21 and the wall 14.

For supplying dry air internally of the bin 11 for passage through graintherein, the blower-heater unit 12 connects a transition chamber 24beneath the perforated floor 21 by a duct 26 attaching the wall 14 ofthe bin 11. The forced air enters the transition unit 24 and isdispersed under the entire area of the perforated floor 21 and is forcedupward through the perforations 22 to the grain (not shown) stored abovethe floor 21. As the air is forced upward through the grain it absorbsmoisture therefrom and the moist air exits the bin 11 through the vent(not shown) beneath the cap 17. As the air rises through the grain, ittends to avoid the grain stored adjacent the wall 14 of the bin 11leaving the grain in this area wet and susceptible to spoilage.

To promote air circulation at the periphery of the bin 11 adjacent theWall 14, a plurality of conduit members 27 are attached inside the wall14 of the bin 11. The conduit members 27 are vertically disposedelongated hol low tubes, each tube 27 being horizontally spaced fromeach other and attached to the wall 14 about the entire perimeter of thebin 11. i i

As the tubes 27 are identical, only one will be described. The lowerportion 28 (FIG. 2) of the tube 27 projects below the perforated floor21 into the transition chamber 24 through a series of holes (not shown)appropriately spaced about the periphery of the floor 21 and flashing23. The lower end 29 of the tube 27 is open, thereby permitting theforced air within the chamber 24 to enter the tube 27 as bestillustrated by the arrows in FIG. 2.

The tube 27 is provided with a series of vertically spaced holes 31(FIG. 2) formed in a side of the tube 27 such that the forced airemitted therefrom is directed substantially parallel to the surface ofthe wall 14, as shown by the use of arrows in FIG. 3. Referring to FIG.2, it is noted that the air fiow out of the holes 31 is also directedsubstantially parallel to the floor 21, although this is not deemedcritical. Furthermore, a pair of holes 31 may be formed at diametricallyopposite points in each tube 27 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) such that the forcedair is emitted from opposite sides of the tube 27 in oppositedirections. It has been found that the lower portion of the grainadjacent the bin wall 11 does dry normally, thereby lessening the needfor placing holes in that portion 32 (FIG. 2) of the tube 27 in closeproximity to the floor 21.

The top end 33 (FIG. 1) of each tube 27 is appropriately sealed toprevent grain from entering the tube 27 and to require the air flowingin the tube 27 as hereinbefore described, to exit through the holes 31therein provided. The tubes 27 are attached to the wall 14 by aplurality of braces 34 (FIG. 3), a nut 36 and a bolt 37 therefortraversing the wall 14 of the bin 11 through a hole 38 therein provided.

Upon operation of the blower-heater unit 12, forced air enters thetransition chamber 24, passes through the perforations 22 found in thefloor 21 of the bin 11, and flows upwardly through the grain on thefloor 21. Simultaneously, air from the chamber 24 enters the open ends29 of the tubes 27 and flows upwardly through the tubes 27 to the holes31 where the force of the air directs the air outwardly from the tubes27.

Due to the placement of the holes 31, the air is emitted in a directionof travel parallel to the wall 14 of the bin 11 as illustrated by thearrows in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The horizontal spacing of the tubes 27 issuch that the air streams emitted from the tube holes 31 joinapproximately midway between the tubes 27, thereby circulating aircompletely about the entire inner periphery of the bin wall 14.

' During operation of the blower-heater unit 12, the air from the tubes27 continues to flow through the grain adjacent the bin wall 14 removingthe moisture therefrom and preventing condensation and moisture fromaccumulating on the wall 14 of the bin 11. Like the air passing throughthe grain through the perforated floor 21, the air from the tubes 27will also rise and exit the bin 11 through the vented roof 16.

Following the grain drying process, the grain adjacent the wall 14 willbe dry and able to absorb any moisture, thereby preventing condensationfrom forming on the bin wall 14. Any moisture absorbed by the dry grainwill be insignificant and therefore no spoilage will occur.

Although the preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it is to be remembered that various alterations andmodifications can be made thereto without departing from the true spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim: 1. In a grain bin having a metal, non-insulated wall, a roofwith a central opening at the apex thereof, a solid bottom fioor, aperforated sub floor spaced above the bottom floor, a chamber betweensaid bottom floor and said sub floor, and a blower-heater unit forforcing dry air into the chamber, means for preventing condensation fromforming on the interior wall of the bin comprising: a plurality ofhollow, conduit members mounted about the interior of the bin wall andfastened thereto in arcuate spaced relation and in an upright manner,

each member having an open lower end in fluid communication with thechamber, and a closed upper end, and having further vertically spacedgroups of holes formed therein capable of emitting dry air therefrom ina direction substantially parallel to the bin wall, and also only in asubstantially horizontal direction parallel to the subfloor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 111,163 l/l871 Abbott et al. 98551,020,256 3/1912 Boll 9855 1,542,721 6/1925 Piening et al 9855 1,911,6025/1933 Brandl et al. 9855 FREDERICK L. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner H.B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 9855

